Yratorm, LightMage

Notice from BuffaloHELP: R.E. Howard, "The Road of Kings,"

I'll try to create a tutorial on that, Hagar. Until I can put something specific up, if you follow this routine and watch your calories you should lose weight. I'll try to put up a program specifically targeted at weight loss, but it might take more than 15 minutes a day to follow.It'll take a few days before I can put it up, I usually have to take some pics, and write out the text - I'll do it in between classes over the next few days (I teach the martial arts) and put it up as soon as I can. Take care now.- - - Yratorm

The Three Basic Weight Exercises for Building Heavy Muscle Hi everyone, this post is the result of several PM I received from various members like bk2070, requesting a weight training program that concentrated on building muscle mass. So I've put down a tutorial on the three best mass-building free-weight exercises below. These exercises are ONLY for building heavy muscle mass - I'll be putting up a different tutorial targeting specific muscle groups such as the biceps, triceps, traps, lats, etc. This set of exercises are solely for mass-building. ___________________________________ A little note about my costume in these pictures - I HAD taken these pictures in everyday garb, but those photos came out blurry. Anyway, the friend of mine who's been taking the pics for these tutorials happened to drop in just as I was finishing giving a martial arts class (I'm a martial arts instructor in the east), and he suggested taking the pictures again right away. So we did. Anyway, they came out good and clear, so here they are - please ignore the costume, it's just the usual 'gi' (training outfit) in my Ryu (martial arts school). I sincerely hope you don't mind. ___________________________________ Okay, that said, down to the tutorial. THE BASICS OF WEIGHT TRAINING: IMPORTANT - How much weight to lift, and how many repetitions to do: How do you know how much weight to lift? It's simple: If you can do less than ten repetitions of an exercise continuously, then the weight is too heavy for you. If you can do more than ten repetitions continuously, then it is too light. If you're just starting out training with weights, start your weight training with just one set of ten repetitions of each exercise. Once your body adapts to this, increase the sets per exercise to three - the first set should be done with a slightly heavier weight than you can manage - you should just be able to do just 6 to 8 repetitions with this weight. The next set should be done with a 'normal' weight, and 10 repetitions. The third set should be done with a slightly lighter weight than what you can manage, and you should do between 12 to 15 repetitions. Try to increase the amount of weight that you can lift week by week. Push yourself, and your body will adapt. Even an increase of one rep in a set IS an increase - remember that. ___________________________________ Some other important points: 1) Warming up: It is CRUCIAL to warm up before heavy weight training. I would suggest you run to the Gym at a moderate pace (if it's not too far away), or take a run around the block. Then circle your arms a bit, stretch, bend forwards and back, turn your torso, stretch again, and generally loosen and prepare your muscles and tendons. Then do about five to ten push-ups, crunches and knee bends. Now you are ready to move on to the weights. If you take a break during your training, be sure not to let your body 'cool-down'. Wrap up in a towel or a robe or whatever is convenient, and only then rest before your next set. Keep your body warm and you will reduce muscle fatigue. Lastly, it is equally important to cool-down the body AFTER your weight training, by doing some light stretching, running and a few light exercises. ******* 2) The Total Duration of a Training Session: This is a crucial point. A training session MUST NOT go on for longer than an hour. Keep an eye on the watch as you train. After an hour of rigorous training, toxins build up in your body and heavy muscle fatigue sets in. Any training done after this point is usually wasted. Keep your weight training sessions short and intense and you will see gains. ******* 3) Diet: Eat a great deal of lean meat with some potatoes as a basis of your diet, with plenty of fruits and vegetables. The meat should be divided into six portions and eaten at six different times in the day, with at least one and a half hours between each time. Other acceptable sources of protein are eggs, fish and poultry. You should take in at least between 150 to 200 grams of protein every day if you're working hard at your weight training. ******* 4) Water: Remember, your body is mostly water - it is actually one of the building materials your body needs! Drink PLENTY of water every day. You must never at any time be thirsty. ******* 5) Sleep: Sleep well. Your training will place an increasing stress on your body - your body needs rest to repair itself and build new muscle tissue. You need between 8 to 10 hours of sleep a day. ___________________________________ And now to the exercises.. Exercise 1) The Bench Press: The Bench Press is one of the best exercises for building strength and muscle mass in the arms, upper-body and chest. Do it as described below.. BENCH PRESS - STEP 1: Lie on your back on the bench, with your feet placed firmly on the floor, and widely enough to afford you a good balance. Make sure your head, back and behind rest comfortably on the bench. Roll your shoulders back and down so that your shoulder-blades are firmly positioned on the bench, and your chest is sticking up. Move your your hands as they will move when you are doing the bench press (but without the weight) once or twice, to ensure that you are comfortable. ******* BENCH PRESS - STEP 2: Now grip the weight with your hands a little more than shoulder width apart. Lift the weight off the rack and hold it above you with your arms straight up and extended. Look at the image.. Note that you should always have someone to 'spot' you as you do the bench-press - that is, someone to stand with his hands on the weight should your muscles fail - you don't want that weight pinning you to the bench. The reason there is no one spotting me here is that the weight shown is about one third what I usually do, and thus light enough so that there is no danger. But you should NEVER do this exercise at anywhere near your limit without a partner. I don't. ******* BENCH PRESS - STEP 3: Now lower the weight to your chest, so that the bar crosses your chest just about level with your arm-pits. Breath IN as the weight is lowered. Don't let the weight rest on your chest - let it stop within an inch of your chest. The weight should rest on the hands and arms, even in the 'lowered' position. DO NOT 'bounce' the weight off your chest or anything of the sort. Treat the weight with great respect - as you increase the amount you lift, carelessness handling the weight could result in serious injury. ******* BENCH PRESS - STEP 4: Now, slowly and smoothly, push the weight up again, using the muscles of your chest and arms. EXHALE as you push the weight up. You have now completed one repetition of this exercise. Lower the weight again, INHALING as you lower it, to continue with your repetitions. This exercise can also be performed using dumbbells. Both methods are effective Note: DO NOT snap the elbows inwards as the weight reaches the top. Your elbows must remain slightly bent as the weight reaches the top. ******* I have already covered how to decide what weight is 'right' for you, and how many repetitions and sets to do for an exercise in the basics section at the top of this post. Start out with only as much weight as you can handle (DON'T injure yourself) - your ultimate aim (over several months) should be to slowly increase the weight to at least 200 pounds for the bench-press. ___________________________________ Exercise 2) Shoulder Press: Variations: This exercise can also be performed seated. You can also lower the bar behind your head instead of in front. Be careful, though, there have been serious injuries to the neck suffered by some people who carelessly did a behind-the-neck shoulder press. If you do this variation of the exercise, please do it carefully. This exercise works the deltoids or shoulders. To begin, put as much weight as you can handle on the bar and lift it from the rack with a grip a little wider than your shoulders. SHOULDER PRESS - STEP 1: Now, lift the weight up to your chest, to the position shown. The exercise is begun in this position. Breathe IN deeply. ******* SHOULDER PRESS - STEP 2: Now raise the weight smoothly straight up over your head as shown below. Keep your back straight as you do it. Breathe OUT as you raise the weight. ******* SHOULDER PRESS - STEP 3: Now, lower the weight to the level of your upper chest again. Keep your back straight as you do it. Breath IN as you lower the weight. You have now completed one repetition of this exercise Note: DO NOT snap the elbows inwards as the weight reaches the top. Your elbows must remain slightly bent as the weight reaches the top. ******* I have already covered how to decide what weight is 'right' for you, and how many repetitions and sets to do for an exercise in the basics section at the top of this post. Start out with only as much weight as you can handle (DON'T injure yourself) - your ultimate aim (over several months) should be to slowly increase the weight to at least 200 pounds for the shoulder-press. ___________________________________ Exercise 3) Squats: This exercise works the muscles of the legs and lower back, and most especially the thighs. SQUATS- STEP 1: Load as much weight as you can handle on a bar and take it off a squat rack. Or have a friend help you raise the weight over your head and on to your shoulders (taking it off a squat rack is better). Be careful to rest the weight on your shoulders as shown in the picture and not your neck. This is crucial - do NOT rest the weight on your neck. Get in a comfortable upright stance with your feet shoulder width apart or slightly wider. Your toes should be pointed slightly outward. They should NEVER be pointed inward. ******* SQUATS- STEP 2: Now do the squat: Keeping your heels planted firmly on the floor and your back straight at all times, go down into a 'sitting position' with the weight on your shoulders. ******* SQUATS- STEP 3: Slowly, smoothly, straighten your legs to stand up again. Imagine that you are pushing the earth away with your feet, and you'll get the movement right. When pushing back up, always push through the heels, not the toes. Note: The movement is up and down. There should be no sideways movement of any kind during the squat. Keep your back straight and chest up at all times. Breathe IN as you go down, breathe OUT as you rise up again. Keep your back as straight as you can when you do this exercise. You have now done one repetition of this exercise. ******* I have already covered how to decide what weight is 'right' for you, and how many repetitions and sets to do for an exercise in the basics section at the top of this post. Start out with only as much weight as you can handle (DON'T injure yourself) - your ultimate aim (over several months) should be to slowly increase the weight to at least 300 to 600 pounds for the squats. ___________________________________ That's it. These three exercises are heavy compound exercises and trigger the production of the body's natural growth hormones. This in turn triggers considerable muscle development and increased mass. Make sure you don't over-train - that is, ensure that you have days on which your muscles rest and recuperate. As you add more exercises to your routine (for the biceps, etc.) you can divide the exercises - do arms on one day, legs on another, abs and other muscle groups on a third, etc. A simple rule to follow is not to train if the muscle is sore - this means it has not recovered properly from the last session. If you follow the simple rules I put forward in the beginning regarding an adequate diet, water intake and sleep, your body should recover as fast as is humanly possible. Also, do some aerobic exercises on at lease one day a week - running, cycling, rowing, hiking, strenuous martial arts workouts - whatever appeals to you. This helps burn off the fat layer and makes your muscles more defined. I will be posting more tutorials regarding working specific muscle groups - however, where sheer mass building is concerned, I believe that the above exercises are some of the best. I hope this will be of use to those who've requested it, and to others as well. Take care, all. ___________________________________ - - - Sincerely, Yratorm.

Well, I'm going to discuss two things here.. Metabolism (and how to control it), and Food Intake. Food Intake: Let's begin with food intake. The simple fact is that one reason for some people eating more than they burn is, strangely enough, and of all things - cultural programming!! Our culture has programmed us into eating meals at regular times, into eating whether our body really requires nourishment or not. We say, oh, it's time for lunch. But what if your body doesn't really WANT to eat - what if it's not hungry? The sad fact is most of us have TRAINED our bodies to be hungry at certain times, whether those bodies REALLY require nourishment or not. We have SUPPRESSED the triggers that tell our body that it isn't hungry, instead training it to BE hungry at certain times. ****** ANOTHER cause for overeating is that one might eat a lot because one is not giving one's body the RIGHT nourishment. For example, on days on which I do heavy weight training I have an insatiable hunger UNLESS I take in protein - if I eat carbs, or vegetables, I could eat all day and STILL be hungry. You can see here that the causes of over-eating might be far more subtle processes than we think. Similarly, on days when I do strenuous martial arts workouts, my body hungers for sugars and carbs. A simple way to handle the tendency to eat too much might be to just look back at your day just before a meal and see exactly what you've done and then eat the RIGHT foods, the foods your body needs, and so satisfy your hunger more quickly and efficiently. Sometimes hunger DOES NOT mean you're not eating enough, but that you're not eating what your body desperately NEEDS. _______________________________ METABOLISM & HOW TO CONTROL IT: It is a myth that metabolism varies greatly depending on the genetics of different people. There, I said it. Individual metabolisms do vary, but not by much. However, there IS an explanation as to why some people can seem to eat more and remain slim while others put on weight. People who eat and stay slim generally move enough to burn what they eat (and mind you, this includes activities one sometimes doesn't 'see' or take into account like fidgeting!!, for example, or even just moving around the house a lot!). The slim people simply move enough, in various ways, to burn off and cancel whatever they eat. ****** However, for those interested in actually controlling their metabolism, and the ability to 'burn off' excess intake more easily, these simple tips should help.. For increased metabolism, 1) Eat several small meals in a day rather than a one or two large ones - this instantly boosts metabolism (metabolism is always raised during digestion, thus smaller, more frequent meals keep your metabolism running at a higher rate). 2) Do some exercise to up your heart rate for just ten minutes in a day - it could be something as simple as a brisk walk in the park! Remember though, your heart rate MUST be up for ten minutes. 3) Lift weights - this really boosts metabolism, and works both for men and for women. And no, women don't 'bulk up' massively through weight training. ****** I hope this was of help. Take care all- - - Yratorm.

I posted something on this topic on another thread, and the thought interested me a great deal.I think a truly healthy body is a wonderful thing to possess - our minds inhabit our bodies, and if the body isn't up to par, it affects the mind as well. The Greeks used to talk of 'a healthy mind in a healthy body' - well, maybe they had something there. Maybe if lifestyles today were a lot healthier there would be less depression, mental health problems, etc.Now I'm not saying this is any sort of cure-all for mental affliction, but I myself was pretty depressed last year when I broke up with my girlfriend, and the depression lasted for months - all I wanted to do was sleep, I hated to even get out of bed.Then I started giving martial arts classes and fitness classes (I'm a qualified instructor), and of course I had to train hard as well - it wouldn't do for the instructor to be behind his students, now would it. And as a result I suddenly found that my mental state improved drastically. It wasn't intentional at all, but as my body grew extremely fit, I found I just couldn't see the world around me in greys, that I could see the sunshine and the trees and all that made it beautiful and appreciate it.And suddenly the things that depressed me weren't important at all any more. Strange isn't it?Just a thought I had. Take care, all.

Hmm, Punkguitar, I agree - however, to some people, keeping fit is having fun Sports are good, but not all give you an all round workout. You have to do a mix of exercises as well, I think. I like kayaking, hiking in the mountains and rock-climbing, for example. But I still do strenuous martial arts routines for additional aerobic training, and lots of strength training as well. I think a truly healthy body is a wonderful thing to possess - our minds inhabit our bodies, and if the body isn't up to par, it affects the mind as well. I think 'modern humans' live a most unhealthy lifestyle - not from choice, but from necessity - what with the pressures of work, earning a living, etc. people don't always have the time to be fit. Such a pity, in it's way. . ******** Hmm, did anyone hear this one: A human looked at a dolphin and thought the dolphin was stupid because the human spent his whole day inventing things and working hard, while the dolphin just played around and had a great time. And the dolphin thought the human was stupid for exactly the same reason Well, it's just a joke, but there's quite a thought behind it, don't you think?

I've never had this problem. Generally, on a long run, I tend to breathe in in two breaths, breathe out in two breaths. Perhaps you could try it? It might help.I HAVE had this problem while practicing the martial arts - but then I do literally hundreds of reps of various strikes, it can get most strenuous, especially if it's done against a bag. If it happens I just ignore it. Even here though, I find that I can avoid it if I use that two breaths in, two breaths out technique.This may or may not help you - I hope it does. Take care.

Hmm - I'm posting a tutorial on the best exercises to trigger heavy muscle development. These exercises can be done with either a set of dumb-bells or a barbell - It may be of use to you. My thread should be up in a few hours. Take care, all.

Yes, mbacarra, I'm a fitness instructor, I also teach several martial arts. I'm glad if this training schedule is of help - I'll be posting other more difficult routines that you can 'step up' to when this one becomes too easy for you - I was also thinking of putting up tutorials on body-building and basic self defense among other things.I agree that the targets would be pretty easy for some, PunkGuitar - however, this program is for those with a limited time schedule who still want to be in shape. Feel free to up the targets If it's too easy for you, I'm glad - it means you're a fit man ^_^The program on this page is not the 'ultimate fitness program' but a set of reasonably good equipment-free exercises to help people who want to stay in reasonable shape but don't have much time - it's a program that I hope will help the most people possible.I'll be posting other routines for people who want to lose weight, go in for 'super-fitness', build muscle mass, etc.Thanks for the feed-back, all, I'm happy to be of help.----------------Mbacarra, I'll include some more info on body metabolism in a day or two. However, I've been having some problems with my net connection (that's the reason I haven't posted much for a day or two). I'll put some info up tomorrow or the day after.

It works this way - if you're not so fit, you do the lower number of repetitions for a week or so to get your body in condition, then try to increase the reps to move into the higher category. When you're in the higher category, you keep that up for a week or two, trying to increase the reps until you can move into the next, the highest category. It's designed to enable you to increase your level without strain. All you have to do is be regular, and your fitness level will improve no matter how out of condition you are at the moment, and as it improves, you can up the reps and move into the higher fitness category. The exercise program encourages you to do what you are capable of at the moment, but to do it regularly and over time increase the reps to move to a higher level of fitness. This way you improve your fitness levels without strain, and as the time required for the exercises isn't too much either, you can usually afford to make the time for it sometime in the day.

There's some brilliant, concise and extremely helpful advice in this thread, so I won't add too much to that.Tobacco (or rather nicotine) is one of the most addictive substances, other than hard drugs. Generally the best way to avoid catching the habit is not to start in the first place, but what with peer pressure, etc...I had a friend who was a brilliant martial artist before he took to smoking - it ruined his martial arts career, destroyed his endurance, besides the other ill effects. It always saddened me to see this man who was once a top athlete getting out of breath when he ran for a bus.Now, that was a bit off topic. To all those who kick the habit, congratulations - it's not at all an easy thing to do, and I admire you for it. However you've managed it - will-power, support groups, the help of friends - you have done something not at all easy to do and you have my most sincere and genuine admiration.A small note: If you have a pain in the lungs or some discomfort when you breathe after you quit smoking, SEE YOUR DOCTOR. Quitting smoking has immediate benefits, but if a serious problem has already gotten started, it's not going to just go away. Play safe, see your doctor, see what he has to say, then act on it.And take care, all.---------------To Hagar, on quitting: Hagar, why don't you put up a new thread in this section. Something like 'How do I quit smoking, please help' - it'll put your difficulties into focus and you'll get a lot of advice. There are also some posts earlier in this thread by smokers who've quit - check them out, there's a lot of good advice there by people who've 'walked through the flame' so to speak, and won.

Aww, thanks Just trying to help - the exercises are ones everyone knows, really - I just thought I'd pick some of the best and put them together into a reasonably good workout. Yes, that's me in the pics, just had a friend take a few quick pictures on the spur of the moment. Glad you like it, and I sincerely hope it helps you Take care.Oh, thanks for the appreciation, it was nice of you - it makes putting this together worth doing.I might be putting up another thread on building bulk in muscles (weight training), and also weight exercises to fine-tune the muscles - if you have any interest in this, it should be up in a week or so (depends on when I can spare the time to write the thread).

If anyone would find it useful, I can post a complete tutorial (with pictures) on the basic mass building weight exercises, diet, etc. and later add one more on 'fine-tuning' the different muscle groups once you've built up the mass of your muscles.I've put a thread up about maintaining basic fitness for those who don't have much time to spare - it was fun to do. I hope it'll be useful for somebody out there.

Yup, Rejected's program has too many miles for a beginner, but Rejected doesn't intend it for a beginner, more for competitive athletes, for which it's pretty good, I think. Alternating the distance is good, keeps your body on it's toes, hehe.As for the high altitude (or low atmospheric density) training, it's good for almost any kind of training, not just for running. Unfortunately, as Rejected says, not everyone can choose where to train - I have a reasonably high hill almost at my back-door, that's really convenient. I teach kids the martial arts, we climb the hill, train at the top, and then descend, it makes for a good workout.

Why don't you try adding running in the mountains if you want to work for peak endurance. Running at high altitudes can be extremely difficult at first, but once your body gets used to it (by producing more red-blood corpuscles) your endurance at sea level is more than exceptional. This is because your blood is capable of holding and carrying far more oxygen than that of a 'normal' human, thus giving you a considerably higher endurance and 'breath'. I don't run long distance any more - it tends to turn the body into a 'running machine'; giving you a physique suitable for long distance running instead of all-round capability, and all-round capability is what I usually advise people to train for. However, I was a marathon runner a few years back, and have two or three medals, including a gold - anyway, running in the mountains used to be my method of training before an important event. I would train in the mountains for around three months, and then have little difficulty doing well in the event. I'd say that competitive, professional long range running is one of the most 'testing' of sports - it forces you to push your mind, body and spirit to the utmost, and beyond, and the reason I walked away from it is it occurred to me that pushing oneself so much beyond the limit might not necessarily be a good thing.

This is a simple exercise program for people who don't have too much time to spare. It is not designed to create 'ultimate fitness' or anything like that, but it IS designed to keep your body in reasonable condition on a minimum time schedule. Ideal for people who work long hours, sit long hours at a desk/ in front of a computer, etc. Below are a warm-up (to begin with) and seven exercises to be done daily. This entire program should not take more than 15 minutes a day. These are all simple exercises that everyone has some knowledge of, and should be easy to do. ______________________ Warming up Any exercise program should start and end with a short warm-up. Rotate your arms in circles clockwise and anti clockwise about ten times each way, run on the spot for 30 seconds or so, pumping (swinging) your arms vigorously - increase the temperature of your body in this way, and up your heart rate. ______________________ The Exercises: Exercise 1) Pushups: Also knows as press-ups. Step 1: Lie chest-down on the floor with your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart. The hands should be placed on each side of the chest, with the hands facing outwards. The feet can be either together, or about shoulder width apart - your toes and the ball of your foot touch the ground. Look forward, not down at the floor - if any part of your face touches the floor, it should be the chin, rather than the nose. Now breathe in deeply. Look at the image below: Step 2: Now, push up off the floor by straightening your arms. Exhale as you do this. Keep the hands and feet fixed in position on the floor, and keep your back straight as you push up. Stop for a moment in this position. Look at the image below: Step 3: Now lower your body down to the floor again by bending your arms. Breathe IN deeply as you do this. Keep your back straight as you do this. Lower your body until your chest touches the floor. Keep your knees off the floor - your legs should make contact with the floor through the toes and the ball of the foot. You have now returned to your position in Step 1 and have completed one pushup. Number of times to do this exercise: For already fit people who just want to maintain their fitness: 25 repetitions continuously. For people trying to get in condition: 10 repetitions continuously. For people who are out of training: 1 to 3 repetitions. ----------- Exercise 2) Sidebending: This exercise improves flexibility and works the muscles of the torso. Stand with the feet slightly apart and hold the hands above the head. Now bend the body sideways, from the waist, first to the left, then straighten up again, then bend to the right. Bend as far as you can without straining yourself too much. Look at the pictures below: Count one bend each way as one repetition. Number of times to do this exercise: For already fit people who just want to maintain their fitness: 20 repetitions continuously. For people trying to get in condition: 10 repetitions continuously. For people who are out of training: 5 repetitions. ----------- Exercise 3) Knee-bends or Half-squats: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your feet flat on the floor. Then half-crouch down as if your were about to sit in a chair. Do not go all the way down, but just to the height shown in the pictures below.. After crouching, return to the standing position. Inhale as you go down, and exhale as you rise. Number of times to do this exercise: For already fit people who just want to maintain their fitness: 30 repetitions continuously. For people trying to get in condition: 20 repetitions continuously. For people who are out of training: 15 repetitions. ----------- Exercise 4) Dorsal Exercise: This exercise strengthens the back, abs and thighs. Lie face down with the hands clasped behind the back. Now raise the trunk and legs off the ground simultaneously. Hold this position for a second or two, then lower your trunk and legs to the floor. Number of times to do this exercise: For already fit people who just want to maintain their fitness: 20 repetitions. For people trying to get in condition: 10 repetitions. For people who are out of training: 5 repetitions. ----------- Exercise 5) Burpees: Step 1: From standing, go down to the crouch position with your hands on the floor: Step 2: Then (with the weight on your hands and arms) shoot your legs backwards to the position below. Step 3: Now, again placing the weight on your hands and arms, return your legs to the crouch position, and then stand up. This is a 'burpee' - Count this as one repetition. Number of times to do this exercise: For already fit people who just want to maintain their fitness: 20 repetitions continuously. For people trying to get in condition: 10 repetitions continuously. For people who are out of training: 5 repetitions. ----------- Exercise 6) Sit-ups: Lie on your back, then rise without use of your arms, almost to a sitting position. Return to lying on the back. You might find this exercise easier to do if you get a friend or family member to hold your legs down as you do it. See the images below: Number of times to do this exercise: For already fit people who just want to maintain their fitness: 20 repetitions continuously. For people trying to get in condition: 10 repetitions continuously. For people who are out of training: Between 2 to 6 repetitions. ----------- Exercise 7) Spot Running: Run in one spot, raising your legs about six inches off the floor, and pumping (swinging) the arms. Count a left step and a right step as one repetition. Number of times to do this exercise: For already fit people who just want to maintain their fitness: 60 repetitions. For people trying to get in condition: 50 repetitions. For people who are out of training: 40 repetitions. ______________________ That's it. This is not intended to be the 'ultimate fitness program' or anything of the sort. It is just a simple, useful set of exercises for people who don't have much time to exercise. Fit people can use it to maintain their level of fitness; not so fit people and people out of training can use it to better their fitness levels. For example, if you're doing the number of repetitions for each exercise that place you in the 'out of training' category, try to increase the repetitions over time so that you move into the 'getting in condition' category, and finally, of course, into the 'fit' category. Some useful advice: Vary the exercises you do - on some days, do the above routine, on other days, go for a run in the park - run 10 minutes, sprint two minutes, walk five minutes, repeat. Do this running/sprinting/walking routine at least twice, aim for four times. On other days go to the gym and do the heaviest weight exercises - the bench press, the shoulder press and the squats, with the heaviest weights that you can safely manage. At least three sets of ten for each exercise. Increase the weight over time. On weekends, you could spend half a day or so hiking in nearby mountains (if any) or kayaking or playing some reasonably strenuous sport. Fitness can be fun. Treat your body well and the benefits will be considerable, in terms of health, mental alertness and the ability to smile in the face of fortune and misfortune, to take amicably the ups and downs of life. I hope this will be of some help to someone out there. Take care, all. My thanks to ellentemplar for some additions to this post. Also, below, some nice additional suggestions by Saint Micheal: Saint Micheal's descriptions are pretty clear, if anyone needs additional help/images, etc. just ask.

Hmm. This rather depends on one's definition of luck. To be honest, I don't think the human exists on this planet today with the wisdom or the knowledge to truly answer some of the most pertinent questions that face us. And I'm generally wary of people who tell me not to question, it gives me the creeps, to be honest. I believe that the race progresses because humans have always pondered the ways of the cosmos, and asked 'why?' and then searched for answers to that question. I would look into the eyes of a god and ask him my questions, even if I were to be destroyed that very instant for my audacity - and I would not waver. The ability to ask why, to question even the most high and sacred beliefs, the ability to doubt, this is what makes humanity great - who knows, perhaps one day it might open the very gates to the stars to us. And I would rather stand on a distant world and watch an alien sun rise than bend knee to any of humanity's myriad gods. To be honest I don't like the idea of bending knee at all, neither to god or man or demon. Freedom is more important to me than religion.

Superbly put, me_boxer_dude - virtually everything he needs to know in a compact and to-the-point paragraph. A perfect post, hehe. Really. If anything can work, this will. A great training program.

By all means grow muscular and strong, I say - there's nothing wrong with it, and it's what he wants. And the guy is 15 - unsupervised finger pushups might damage the joints of his fingers. I think we should keep advice safe, as people might act on it. For example, I do an exercise to strengthen my fingers and the grip of my hands that works against a resistance of 60 pounds or more - but I wouldn't advise someone new to exercising to do that exercise - he might easily rip a muscle or tendon, or damage a joint.I think that any exercise program we describe for a beginner should have maximum effectiveness within a framework of maximum safety. I also think that exercises that work the main muscle groups are perfectly fine for a person starting out at exercising - there's no need for a person who just wants to put on some muscle-mass and gain some raw strength quickly to exercise EVERY single muscle of his body. Such fine-tuning comes later - one doesn't start out with it.

I'll be posting a reasonably good 12-minute exercise routine for those who don't have too much time - I need to take some pictures first, is all. Hmm, I don't think a person who doesn't exercise is lazy. At the beginning of this year I'd let myself get out of training, and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't start training again. I'd start a exercise routine, but abandon it after a few days. I used to think keeping fit depended on 'will-power' or whatever. Then I took on two teenaged training partners (I would teach them the martial arts, they would help me get fit) and it turned everything around, and got me back in condition. Some really good advice there, anto - start ANY exercise program gradually, there's no point in injuring yourself, or being in such pain the next day that you just don't feel like exercising. For joggers, get yourself a pair of good running shoes, and run on ground or grass, rather than a hard surface like a road or sidewalk, if you can - it helps prevent injuries to your shins, ankles and knees.

In SUPPORT of blind faith, I might say that whether a person who believes in a god is right or wrong, if that belief brings him happiness, if it helps him walk the dark valleys of life with a step that's sure and an eye that's bright, then who is to say that he is wrong to believe in a god? In this case, whether there really is a god or not is irrelevant - the belief, whether true or not, is good for him, and helps him lead a happier life, therefore, as far as he is concerned, it is indeed right for him.The intelligent man sees that people thousands of years from now may look upon our modern religions the way we today look upon the religions of ancient greece, for example - as pretty myths and fairy-tales. However, that same man, knowing this, might still choose to believe in a god nevertheless, simply because that belief is a comfort to him when he needs it. And seen in that light, the belief (whether true or not), is not wrong.After all, human life is so short. If something makes that little journey happier, does it matter if it be true or not?

Exactly - there's a lot we have to learn about the universe (and perhaps beyond) before we can say that we know 'for a fact' that there is (or is not) a god.Generally the data to date, and an examination of past 'dead' religions would tend to consign the belief in a god to myth, which will fade successively as humans learn more and more about the cosmos around them.For example, we (unlike our ancestors) no longer believe that the sun is a chariot drawn by the sun-god across the sky.. and why do we not believe this? Because we (unlike our ancestors) now know more or less exactly what the sun is, and even more or less how it works. And we know that it does not move across the sky! So the myth has dissolved in the light of knowledge.Myth falls back before knowledge. As each new bit of knowledge is brought forth, so religion takes a step back before it. A scientist might want to 'turn back the clock' and go back to being religious; well that is his right as a free being. But the march of time is forwards, not back - humans progress, myth recedes. It is the way of things.Note that I'm not saying there is no god - I do not have the data to support that statement, so I cannot make it. At the same time, I cannot say there is a god, either - for the exact same reason. And I CAN say that godly mythologies tend to fall back before the march of science, because that is the very history of the human race.

Well, to be honest, I believe this is the dawn age of human civilization. That is to say, in the distant future, say a few billion years from now, humans will look back at us in much the same way we look back at stoneage cave-men. Probably the difference between our future descendants and us will be greater than the difference between us and the cave men.That said, I believe that the future (or some futures) might hold great things for the human race. Among these...1) Space travel - between the stars, perhaps between the very galaxies.2) Time travel.3) Inter-dimensional travel, or travel to other universes.4) Re-fueling the sun, or settling on the planets of a million different suns.5) Altering the past and future to 'suit' the human race better, thereby 're-shaping' the universe (manipulating reality itself, into what WE want it to be).6) Perhaps a merging of the entire human race into one gigantic super-intelligent being (I'm not saying this is necessarily a positive development, but if the suppression of individuality apparent in our civilization today continues unabated, it's a possiblity, yes).Note that I'm not arguing that any or all of these things will happen, but considering the timescale involved, it's definitely a possiblity that our far distant descendants will have the technology and the power to do one or more of these. I do believe that this is the dawn age of the human race, and I think it is a tribute to us that we can even wonder about what such a distant future may hold.Lastly, in all humility I must say that I am probably completely wrong, and that the technologies of so distant a future are probably as difficult for us today to visualize and understand as our modern technology would be to a cave-man. In other words, whatever I have put down above is probably the creation of a limited mind, and the distant future might surpass that in ways we have not (or cannot) even consider.

Hmm, Artificial intelligence should be arrived at within the next century or two, certainly. As for cost - well, the money system itself is such a pain, don't you think? Perhaps we should use OUR intelligence to find a way to do away with the necessity of 'earning a living'.. I wonder how we'd get to that? We'd need a surplus of resources. If we had cheap spacecraft (perhaps with a new kind of engine) mining the other planets and the asteroid belts, then we could do away with the money system and have cheap robots for everyone!!!Seems to be such a long way to go to get a slave, though, hehehehehhehehe! The price of (mechanical) slaves seems to be astronomical :lol:Surgeon general's statutory warning: Taking this post seriously may cause you to be eaten by aliens.

I don't think there are any shortcuts to keeping fit. To be fit you need to do some cardio/aerobic exercise like running or a strenuous martial arts session - add to that some decent weight-lifting, and you'll definitely be in the fit category. Even just the cardio/aerobics coupled with non-weight strength training exercises such as pushups, squats/knee-bends and crunches will be enough to keep you reasonably fit. I think I'll post a small 15 minute workout for people who don't have much time but would still like to maintain their fitness. I should put it up in a day or two. If you have trouble keeping to a fitness routine, try taking on a teen as a training partner - teens have boundless energy, and they have tons of enthusiasm as well. I train teens in the martial arts, and the result is I have the fitness and endurance of a teenager. This isn't due to any great will-power on my part - they come over and say 'hey, it's time for the session to start', and I just get with it, drop whatever I'm doing and work out with them. Besides, it's a constant source of satisfaction to me when a sixteen year old gets exhausted before I do, hehe (No, I'm just kidding - I'm not that evil-minded ). - To be honest, I owe these kids a lot. I like teaching kids the martial arts - teaching is something I enjoy, so they get the best possible coaching I can give them, and in return, they help me keep superbly fit - it's a good exchange. This might be useful for those who find it difficult to keep to a training schedule - take on a training partner who has more energy and endurance than you do.